Lemon Drop
by Crystal Jaganshi
Summary: For Valentine's Day, Temari is giving Shikamaru ... a lemon drop?


I have to give some credit to my sister who came up with a lot of the ideas for this fic. Happy V-Day!!

Lemon Drop

"I want to go in that store."

Temari turned at her brother's statement and followed him with Kankuro whispering in her ear

"Does he have a crush or something? He knows that Valentine's is a girls day right?"

Temari shrugged. If Gaara wanted to go into the chocolate shop, why shouldn't he?

As they stepped in to the crowded chocolate shop, the wafts of luscious chocolate filled their nostrils. The sounds of girls giggling and orders being taken place proved that Suna had many last minute shoppers. Temari was glancing around, not really looking for anything in particular. She was about to walk up to the chocolate dipped fruit when Gaara nudged her.

"What about this pack?" He held up a pack of assorted truffles.

"It's fine I guess. Who are you buying it for? Girls give the chocolates this time of year you know." She replied.

He looked at her oddly. "Aren't you going to get something for Shikamaru?"

His sister stared at him shocked while Kankuro's face scrunched up with distaste.

Temari could feel her face growing hot. "Um-well-I-"

"Don't you care for him Temari?" The younger brother paused in thought as she stood there, feeling like her face was going to melt off.

Gaara spoke up again frowning. "I thought you cared for him and as Kankuro would say 'have the hots' for him. You always seemed to be happier when he was around and you didn't have much of a temper either. But perhaps I was wrong…" He was talking more to himself than her.

Temari was touched by her brother's thoughtfulness and she supposed she did "have the hots" for the shadow user and Gaara was right, she always felt like she was in good spirits whenever he was around. So why not take her brother's advice and get the Lazy-bum some chocolate? Who could it hurt?

"…would have been perfect."

"What Gaara?" Temari asked, shaken from her thoughts.

"I said that I had heard that chocolate has an ingredient that induces feelings of love and that it would have been perfect." He replied shaking his head.

"Induces feelings of love?" Temari thought and inside her head, a scene played out.

_"Oh Shika-kun! Here's your present!" Temari said giving him the chocolate._

_"Thanks Temari." He says taking a bite. As soon as he takes a bite of chocolate he looks up at her, holds his arms out to her, and says "Temari! I love you!"_

"Umm… Temari?" Gaara asked, waving a hand in front of the sparkly eyed kunochi.

"Well, that's very thoughtful Gaara" she said shaking out of her fantasy. "but Shikamaru doesn't like truffles. He prefers white chocolate."

Gaara gave her a small smile as Kankuro's face went from triumph, to anger, to defeat. Temari would never understand why Kankuro disliked the shadow user but whatever, he could go wallow in sorrow off in a corner by himself.

The sand siblings then proceeded to look around the store. There were many options for white chocolate and Temari didn't know which one to pick and Gaara wasn't much help either. There was not point in asking Kankuro who was muttering evilly to himself about the ways Karasu could play with Shikamaru once he broke Temari's heart. Eventually, she settled on a rather expensive pack of assorted white chocolates which included caramel filled, truffles, plain, and fruit dipped candies. Temari then took out her wallet and gasped.

"I'm broke!" she cried and looked over at the puppet master grinning oddly.

"Kankuro, I love you very much, did you know that?" She asked sliding up to him.

"No." He said flatly, his grin disappearing.

"Please. I won't threaten to take away breakfast."

Kankuro whipped out his wallet as he said "Be thankful that even though I hate him, I can't stand to see you angry. And you said please. And I'll get breakfast. So here yo- oh. Crap. I don't have any money either."

Temari gasped. How was she going to buy this if none of them had any money? The store wasn't open the next day and that was the day Shikamaru was leaving Suna. She had to give him his chocolate today! Where was Gaa-

"Look! I have a penny!" Gaara said happily holding up a bronze penny. His elder siblings turned to him in shock. He must have not over heard Temari and Kankuro talking and ignored them completely because he was obviously in his own little world.

"I'm going to go see what I can buy for a penny!" And with that, the Kazekage took off as a waterfall of tears poured down Temari's cheeks and Kankuro patted his sister's back sympathetically.

The younger happily retuned and held out his hand. "Look Temari., I got a lemon drop!" Then seeing his sister's upset face and Kankuro's sympathetic one he became serious. "What's wrong?"

"Neither of us have any money. And you just spent a penny on a lemon drop." Kankuro filled in.

"Oh. Why don't you go home and get some money then?"

With a flash, Temari had left the store. Just as after she left, the store clerk announced "Excuse me everyone, we will be closing in 5 minutes! This is your last chance! The store will not be open tomorrow, February 14 due to lack of personnel! Again, there are only 5 minutes left so please come to the counter and pay!"

The brothers looked at each other and left the store and headed for home.

"What's wrong with Temari?"

The two male siblings looked up from their game of shogi which the shadow ninja was watching. During his stay in Suna Temari had "asked" him to stay with them so he wouldn't have to be stuck in a hotel. For reasons unbeknownst to Shikamaru, Temari had locked herself in her room and whether she was crying or breaking something was unknown to anyone in the house. They all preferred to stay away and leave her to her devices. It was safer that way.

"…"

"Gaara, if Temari were here she would have smacked you upside the head." Kankuro stated. "You know how much she hates it when you talk in ellipses."

"…but she's not here right now." He replied as he moved one of his pieces.

"Why exactly is that?" Shikamaru asked again.

Kankuro rubbed his face, glad that he didn't have his face paint on (it always smeared when he did that with it on). Kankuro couldn't exactly tell Shikamaru that she was upset because the store had closed by the time she got back with money and thus she wasn't able to buy the chocolate. She also didn't have enough time to make some because she didn't think about giving chocolate to anyone. No, his and Gaara's Valentine's present from Temari was a well cooked gourmet breakfast that she slaved over since the previous night.

So Kankuro replied "Tch. Beats me."

He felt Shikamaru's gaze upon him and Kankuro knew that the shadow user had figured out that he was lying. It didn't matter though because Shikamaru was smart enough to know not to pry into any of the sand sibling's business. The game continued slowly, with Shikamaru cautiously butting in every now and then to point out better moves until Gaara suddenly stood up as if a light bulb had gone 'click' right over his head.

"Gaara, where are you-"

"I'll be back Kankuro." He replied and walked down the hallway to Temari's now quiet room.

True to his word, he returned within a few minutes and the game resumed. Out of the corner of his eye, Kankuro saw Shikamaru glance down the hallway towards her room every now and then with an indifferent look on his face. Kankuro noticed though, that his eyes were concerned. Psh, Konoha-nin. Their emotions were betrayed so easily.

After Kankuro defeated Gaara in the shogi game, everyone decided it was time to turn in. Shikamaru followed the brothers down the hallway as they both peered into their sister's room and said goodnight. Kankuro glared at him as he walked past him to his room and Gaara gave him a nod as he disappeared into his. The shadow ninja then turned towards Temari's door.

"Ano, goodnight Temari. I hope you feel better in the morning." He said through the door. He didn't want to open it out of fear of what he might walk in on. He walked down the hallway to the guest bedroom and with a final glance at her room, opened the door to his room and closed it behind him.

As soon as she heard Shikamaru's door click shut, Temari opened the door to her room. She walked quietly towards Shikamaru's door and looked at the lemon drop in her hand. 'Well, it's like Gaara said, something is better than nothing right? And maybe it has a better effect than chocolate…' Temari thought as her mind began to fantasize again.

_"Oh Shika-kun! Please accept this lemon drop instead of chocolate for Valentine's Day!"_

_"Of course." He eats it and his expression changes to one of love and desire. "Oh my dear beloved Temari, I know this is kind of foreword but, will you marry me?"_

Temari however, was so caught up in her fantasy that she didn't notice the shadow slowly creeping towards her from underneath the door until it had caught her.

"Hey! What is this?!" she cried and she was forced to open the door. The shadow released and Shikamaru ran his hand through his hair.

"I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to do something troublesome." He said flatly, looking at her oddly.

Temari however wasn't paying attention because he had his hair down _and_ he was in the middle of changing. Which meant he was shirtless. Oh boy, she really hoped that lemon drop worked.

"Well? Are you feeling better woman?" he asked dully as if he hadn't told her to get better so tenderly 5 seconds ago.

Her face reddened in anger at being called woman but she couldn't blow up at him now. So, the reddening in her face switched sources from anger to embarrassment.

"I'm fine." She stated hotly but then shuffled her feet. "Umm, actually… you better not complain or I'll shove my fan where the sun don't shine." She snapped as she thrust her hand out with the lemon drop resting in her palm. Her head was turned away from him and so she felt his fingers pick up the candy, his touch sending chills up her spine.

She brought her hand down and looked up cautiously at him just as he popped the lemon drop in his mouth. 'Oh please, oh please, oh please' she thought desperately but the only thing that happened was his face scrunching up from the sourness of the candy. After she saw him swallow the candy she stood there, internally anxious.

"Thanks for the lemon drop. I like these better than chocolate. I'll see you in the morning then?"

It. Didn't. Work. It didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it didn't work it did-

"Temari?" Shikamaru asked waving a hand in front of her frozen face. The doors that led to the male siblings rooms swung open and Gaara was shaking his head as Kankuro smiled evilly, muttering things about "Karasu", "knives", and "blood." They picked up Temari's frozen body and carried her, long-ways, to her room.

After they returned to the hallway, Shikamaru nervously asked "What happened? I thanked her. I was nice."

Kankuro continued to mutter under his breath and then laughed mechanically as he shut the door to his room. Gaara shook his head and told the shadow-nin "And they said I was the crazy one."

"But what did I-"

"Nothing. But I expect a package next month." Gaara said glaring largely at him and it seemed that Gaara had become a giant to Shikamaru.

"Of... course…" He said weakly and Gaara's pleasant demeanor returned.

"Goodnight Nara-san. If I do not see you in the morning, please send Tsunade-sama my regards and please don't forget my thank you card for the chocolates she gave me."

"Of course Kazekage-sama. Have a pleasant evening." Shikamaru bowed and retreated into his room.

After the shadow-nin left the house, Temari did her best to be perky and cheery but all that ended up happening was her loosing her temper, especially to the elder council member that kept yelling "I shank YOOOOUUUUUUUU!!!!" Breakfast wasn't as god as it usually was and it was a lot easier to flare her temper and unfortunately, she couldn't be sent out on missions because Gaara needed her help at the office.

March couldn't have come sooner for the male Sand siblings as Temari was ecstatic to receive rhinestone hair pieces, a letter, and a large box of very expensive chocolates covered with rose petals. Of course, now they had to deal with her running around yelling "IT WORKED IT WORKED!!!" but hey, it sure beat her yelling at _them_.


End file.
